Citation

Andrews B, Brewin CR, Ochera J, Morton J, Bekerian DA, Davies GM, Mollon P. Br. J. Psychiatry 1999; 175: 141-146.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10627796

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There are concerns that memories recovered during therapy are likely to be the result of inappropriate therapeutic techniques. AIMS: To investigate systematically these concerns. METHOD: One-hundred and eight therapists provided information on all clients with recovered memories seen in the past three years, and were interviewed in detail on up to three such clients. RESULTS: Of a total of 690 clients, therapists reported that 65% recalled child sexual abuse and 35% recalled other traumas, 32% started recovering memories before entering therapy. According to therapists' accounts, among the 236 detailed client cases very few appeared improbable and corroboration was reported in 41%. Techniques to aid recall were used in 42%, but only in 22% were they used before memory recovery started. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the data are consistent with memories being of iatrogenic origin, but other data clearly point to the need for additional explanations.

Language: en